$5.5 million grant to help veterans in N. Florida

The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System has received a $5.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to help prevent homelessness among veterans and provide transitional housing to those who are homeless.

The Gainesville Sun reports that the grant is part of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, and the money will be dispersed among several organizations in counties throughout North Central Florida that help veterans.

Officials say 39 percent of Gainesville's 1,750 homeless - in shelters and on the street - are veterans. They also make up 17 percent of the homeless population living on the street.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comments

The views expressed below are not those of News4Jax or its affiliated companies. By clicking on "Post," you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and your comment is in compliance with such terms. Readers, please help keep this discussion respectful and on topic by flagging comments that are offensive or inappropriate (hover over the commenter's name and you'll see the flag option appear on right side of that line). And remember, respect goes both ways: Tolerance of others' opinions is important in a free discourse. If you're easily offended by strong opinions, you might skip reading comments entirely.